Aussie MP, Tamils gather in support of Tamil Resurgence

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 October 2005, 23:16 GMT]Federal Member of Australian parliament, Ms Julie Owens, Chairman of International Commission of Jurists Justice John Dowd and several hundred Tamils from Sydney and adjoining counties participated in an event held at the Ryde Civic Center in Sydney Sunday in support of the Tamil Resurgence events being held by fellow Tamils in the NorthEast. The event was organized by the Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations (AFTA), an umbrella organization of Tamil groups in the region.

Section of the attendees

Federal MP Julie Owen

Representatives of more than thirty member organizations participated in lighting the flame of resurgence at the beginning of the event presided by AFTA chairman Mr Ana Pararajasingham.

Ms Julie Owns, Federal Member of the Australian parliament expressed her desire for a political solution. John Murphy, another Federal Member of the Australian parliament in his message commended the Co chairs to the Peace Process for calling for the disarming of the paramilitaries and expressed the view that " this alone is insufficient" and called for the "complete withdrawal of the Sri Lankan armed forces from the Tamil Homeland."

The key note speaker, Justice John Dowd, a prominent Australian Human Rights Activist, and Chairman of the International Commission of Jurists drew attention to the need to keep the international community informed of developing political situation in Sri Lanka.

Justice John Dowd, a prominent Australian Human Rights Activist, and Chairman of the International Commission of Jurists

Rev John Barr, the National Secretary of the Uniting Church in Australia and Tamil activists and political commentators Mrs. Margaret Pararajasingham and Mr Thanapalasingam also spoke.

A petition calling for "a political solution to the conflict based on the Tamil people right to self-determination and an end to the occupation by the Sri Lankan armed forces of the Tamil Homeland," addressed to the Australian Prime Minister was signed by those attending the event.

Rev John Barr, the National Secretary of the Uniting Church in Australia

AFTA chairman giving welcome address

Representatives of AFTA member organizations participating in lighting the ceremonial lamp